


Screenshot

by pennylehane



Category: American Revolution RPF, Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Domestic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 01:21:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9049504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennylehane/pseuds/pennylehane
Summary: Thomas is sick and home alone at Christmas. Aaron has a spare key for watering the plants.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



Thomas sat up in bed, fumbling feebly for a tissue. The hacking cough in his lungs was beginning to burn and scratch at the back of his throat. His skin was clammy and soaked with sweat.

Just as he snuggled back into the duvets, his phone blared. He dug it out from where it had tangled in his sheets and glared at the text.

**_James Madison  
_ ** _Are you feeling any better?_

Thomas scowled at the too-bright screen drilling into the back of his skull and tapped out a reply.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _no im dyinh_

**_James Madison  
_ ** _You gonna make it home for xmas?_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _no_

**_James Madison  
_ ** _Have you told your family?_

Thomas let his head thump back against the too-warm pillow. James would deal with it. His parents loved James. He himself could go back to sleep.

Except that he couldn’t. Tangled in his sickbed, Thomas tossed and turned helplessly as the day rolled on. Feverish shivers ran up and down his spine in flushes of white heat and deathly chill. Even breathing seemed strenuous on his aching lungs.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _james im dying_

**_James Madison  
_ ** _It’s just a cold, you’ll be fine. Sleep it off._

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _cant sleep hungry_

**_James Madison  
_ ** _Then get some food in. That restaurant on the corner by the library delivers chicken noodle soup._

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _cant phone throat_

**_James Madison  
_ ** _You can’t talk? No wonder you’re so crabby._

Thomas groaned gutturally and shoved his phone away to get lost in the sheets again. Turned the pillow over for the cool side, and cocooned himself in the sheets, ignoring the aggravating buzz of his phone in the dark room. Stared venomously at the thin chink of light slipping in through his curtains, taunting him with the reminder of the mid-afternoon sun outside.

He might have fallen asleep, or might just have been a little delirious. A knocking sound somewhere in the apartment rang thunderously in his head.

Thomas burrowed deeper into the covers and waited for the knocking to go away. If someone was at the door, they’d figure the inhabitants were home for the holidays. If it was a thief checking the coast was clear, maybe he’d stop to put Thomas out of his misery on the way.

The knocking stopped. Satisfied, Thomas wiped his nose unthinkingly on the sheets and then stared down at it in horror. Wondered if his aching muscles could muster the force to turn the duvet around on the bed. He heard the apartment door open. Could James be back already? Had he been in bed all month without food? Who else even had a key?

There was a very gentle knock on his bedroom door.

“Thomas?” called Aaron Burr in an undertone. Right. He watered James’ plants while they were away, he must have a key of his own by now. “Are you okay?”

Thomas groaned, not looking up as light flooded into his room from the open doorway. As Aaron’s footsteps approached the bed, he tugged up the duvet to cover his head.

“Come on, Thomas, sit up.” Aaron peeled back the sheets and rested his palm lightly on Thomas’ forehead. “You’ve got a nasty fever.”

“I _know_ ,” Thomas tried to grumble. It came out in a feeble croak. Aaron’s arm wrapped under his shoulders and helped him sit upright.

He withdrew, and when Thomas opened his eyes, he could see him slipping back out into the hall. Was that all he had come in for? He could at least have fetched Thomas a glass of water. A second later, the door opened again, this time without the glaring swill of light hitting Thomas. Instead, Aaron was silhouetted by the faint glow of lamplight as he reentered carrying the duvet from James’ bed.

With the duvet draped over his arms, Aaron regained his grip on Thomas’ shoulders and started pulling him up. Thomas gave a faint whine of protest.

Aaron stopped. “I’m just gonna bring you through to the next room. It’s freezing in here.”

Thomas whined again, but allowed Aaron to scoop him up onto his feet and usher him through to the living room. It was lit by lamps, with the main light off and the curtains drawn shut, and the long strings of fairy lights that he and Mads had put up at the beginning of the month over the shelves and windows had been set to a steady glow.

Aaron set Thomas gently down on the sofa and arranged the new duvet around him, half-sitting and half-lounging. There was a steaming bowl on the table, which Aaron pushed into his shaky grip. When it tipped perilously back, Aaron’s hand clapped over his.

Thomas picked up the spoon unenthusiastically and took a mouthful. Was pleasantly surprised to be able to taste it- tarragony chicken broth, soft noodles gentle on his throat, the faint kick of chilli and cinnamon clearing his sinuses.

A minute late, the bowl was cleared. Aaron was smiling at him. “Feel better?”

“A little,” Thomas rasped. Scowled and mimed using his phone. Aaron nodded and slipped away to go fetch it. Thomas scrolled down quickly to find Aaron’s number, left there from a eons old partner project.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _y r u here_

“James called. Said you were really ill and there was no one to keep an eye on you.”

Thomas started to type out- _do u even like me-_ then deleted it before Aaron could catch sight of the screen.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _r u stayin_

Aaron frowned down at him, looking almost worried. Did he look that pathetic?

“Do you want me to?”

Aching too much to care what Burr thought of him, Thomas nodded frantically. Aaron wouldn’t gossip about him, anyway, even if he was friends with Hamilton.

“Don’t do well with being sick alone?”

Shook his head.

Aaron sighed and crouched down to help Thomas lie back a little further on the couch, his head and chest still elevated enough to cough. Wiggling his phone, Aaron slipped into the hall to the bedrooms. He came back with a damp flannel in his hand, which he folded and pressed over Thomas’ brow.

“Are you okay on the couch? James says you can use his bed while I deal with your sheets.”

Muscles rioting at the thought of movement, Thomas shook his head and burrowed more firmly into the duvet.

Aaron nodded. “What have you taken?”

Thomas shook his head.

“Nothing?” Aaron frowned. “Okay. I’m going to go and get you some pills and a glass of water.”

Thomas watched him until he was out of his field of view, and then slid down into his warm cocoon. When Aaron appeared, he helped Thomas to down the pills, and made him chug back the water, before standing back up and settling in one of the chairs by the sofa, reading something on his phone.

Thomas snuggled cosily against the clean sheet, tummy full and aches fading, and drifted off to sleep.

***

Whe he woke, Thomas’ muscles had remembered their every complaint against him. Heat clawed at his throat and his head thumped. The armchair was empty.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _where tf r u u said u were staying everything hurts_

The reply popped up on his screen almost instantly.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _went to the shops, i’m back in your building_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _but ur meant 2 b looking after me_

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _who do you think i’m shopping for_

Before Thomas could think of a clever retort, the door clicked open. He voiced his displeasure in a slow, croaky whine. Aaron scoffed.

“Do you want your orange juice or not?”

Thomas made grabby hands in his direction. Then, remembering his phone in his hand, started typing frantically as Aaron started putting things in the fridge and cupboards.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _oj pills cold towel food more pillows_

Across the room, Aaron’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and frowned at the screen, then glanced back at Thomas’ watching scowl.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _anyone ever tell you you’re kind of demanding_

Thomas grinned, enchanted by not being the only one reduced to texting.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _ye_

Aaron crouched down in front of him with a glass of orange juice and another handful of pills. He watched Thomas swallow the lot, and then stroked his hair lightly as he stood to go back into the hall. When he returned a minute later, he was carrying another wet flannel and not only the pillows from James’ bed, but also two more that must have been Thomas’, neatly covered in fresh cases. Aaron arranged them carefully under Thomas without jostling or shoving at him. Still crouching by Thomas’ side, Aaron pulled out his phone.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _anything else?_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _food_

Aaron nodded and stood, typing even as he went into the kitchen.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _now are you glad i went to the shops_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _no u could have sent som1_

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _the only person i know who’s not home already is Hamilton_

Thomas closed his phone, pouting. Noticed suddenly that it was a lot easier to breathe. When he glanced around the room, he could see bowls of water sitting on heaters, filling the room with steam.

Aaron slipped back into his line of sight, carrying another bowl of soup, this one a thinner broth with lentils and diced vegetables visibly bobbing in it.

He had to hold Thomas’ hand steady on the bowl so he could eat it.

Once the soup was down, he gave Thomas a cough drop and settled down in his armchair again, this time with the textbook for one of their shared classes, which he must have filched from Thomas’ room. Fever slowly beginning to soothe, Thomas snuggled tightly down in his cosy nest.

***

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _home alone_

Aaron sighed and pulled the DVD down off the shelf. It was the day before Christmas Eve, and Thomas’ headache and fever had both faded drastically. He was still weak and groggy, leaving him stranded on the couch for most of the day in his pile of cushions.

Aaron, for whatever reason, seemed willing to tolerate Thomas’ demands and mood swings, bringing him food and drinks on demand, though still denying him anything that might made him more sick.

With his throat still rough as sandpaper, Thomas was completely unable to voice his dissatisfaction, and was reduced to sending Aaron whiny texts. If he was particularly annoyed, he watched until Aaron was in the middle of something complex or difficult to pause before sending him a request for something he knew Aaron would refuse.

But however much of a brat Thomas was, Aaron always stopped what he was doing not just for long enough to read the text he must know by now wouldn’t be important, but to reply in kind, presumably so that Thomas wouldn’t be embarrassed.

True to form, he set the DVD Thomas had asked for into the machine whilst tapping at his phone with his free hand.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _i didn’t know you liked christmas movies_

**_Thomas Jefferson_**  
_never not been w/ th fam 4 xmas b4_

Aaron looked at him for a long moment- the same half-considering, half-pitying look he had given Thomas after his first attempt to eat something other than soup had left him shivering over the toilet bowl while Aaron stroked his hair- and took his seat in the armchair closest to where Thomas’ head poked out. Reached over to card gentle fingers through his hair with his free hand.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _tell me about them?_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _big fam. v loud. We go 2 grandprnts farm 4 xmas. cut down tree._

Aaron didn’t reply, just watched his phone for the next text. Thomas sniffled.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _rly big 9 sibs tons cousins. loud._

_miss th food_

_big brunch all sweet & fruit & pancakes_

_leave snacks out all day 4 kids_

_then the dinner grandma makes 2 turkey 1 beef 2 fish still not enough hardly any leftovers_

_miss her salmon th best_

_& the apple cake after she makes other stuff bt i only eat th apple cake so good_

Thomas looked up from his phone when he realised Aaron was laughing softly at him. He scowled, betrayed by a pouting lip.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _how are you thinking about food you’ve only been able to keep solids down since yesterday lunch_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _xmas is 4 food tho_

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _i’m pretty sure some people would say it’s about jesus_

Thomas looked up, ready to meet warm brown eyes sparkling with laughter. That wasn’t right. Aaron looked- sad.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _y what do u do u never go home_

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _no one to go home to_

Thomas sucked in a breath, but before he could try to apologise, his phone went off again.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _the kids who never go home usually get together on christmas eve_

_probably gonna miss it this year_

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _u can go if u want_

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _who are you and what did you do with thomas? you normally throw a fit if i go into the kitchen for a glass of water_

Thomas flushed and bumped his head up into Aaron’s palm for more petting. Laughing, he obliged.

***

The misery hit him hard the moment he woke on Christmas Day, feeling immeasurably better. Well enough to be at home, if not exactly down to run a marathon. He was in James’ bed, despite having fallen asleep nestled up on the sofa with his head in Aaron’s lap in front of _Frosty the Snowman_.

Aaron must have carried him in here, for all he didn’t come up to his shoulders. He must have some muscle hidden under the drab turtlenecks.

He wasn’t here now though. He had spent the last few nights on the couch, but he had always been up before Thomas and left a glass of water and a painkiller on his bedside table. It was possible he had gone home to have his dinner with his real friends.

Jefferson didn’t even know who he had been planning on seeing. If Burr had left him as soon as he was in relatively good health, he wouldn’t blame him. It wasn’t as though he had been the kindest to Aaron. He had probably only been looking after him as a favour to James.

Already regretting the movement, Thomas sat up and began making his way to the kitchen for a glass of juice. He fumbled at his phone for the time. Gone twelve. Little chance he would see Aaron, curled up catlike on the couch under their fleecy spare blanket.

The living room was pitch black. Just as Thomas reached the threshold, his phone buzzed.

**_Aaron Burr  
_ ** _look up_

Thomas blinked and squinted up at the door frame, heart beginning to thump in desperate anticipation. Tangled in a tiny string of Christmas lights, a lone strand of mistletoe was hanging where he knew neither he nor Mads had left it.

Warm hands cupped his cheeks. Soft lips met his own.

Thomas’ shimmying heart fell devastatingly still. The kiss simmered at his heart and jackrabbited against his lungs, leaving him breathless and stammering as Aaron pulled away.

The lights flicked on.

“I’m sorry,” Aaron mumbled, stumbling back from Thomas’ arms. “If it’s too much, I’ll go. I just wanted to do that first.”

There was a ragged looking tree in the corner, and under it, a pile of gifts in different papers. Sitting on the table, little dishes of turkey, salmon, sides. In the kitchen, Thomas could see a familiar dish of apple cake, waiting to go in the oven.

“Where did you…” Thomas coughed. His voice still rough and disused, but audible.

Aaron flushed. “I got in touch with your siblings for the recipes. James mailed all your presents home. I actually got the tree from Hamilton, he was out all night looking for it.”

Thomas stared at him, disbelieving. “You organised all this overnight?”

“I didn’t want you to miss Christmas.” Aaron wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Do you want me to leave? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“But baby it’s cold outside,” Thomas sang, despite his croaky voice, smiling.

Aaron flushed. “If you’re just going to laugh at me-”

He was cut off by his buzzing phone.

**_Thomas Jefferson  
_ ** _i love u 2_

There was a clicking sound effect as Aaron took a screenshot of the declaration.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“You’re going to tell people you were smooth. I want receipts on that lie.”

Warmed by something softer and kinder than fever, Thomas pulled Aaron away from the mistletoe to pin him on the sofa. The salmon could wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! Written overnight so a little rushed.


End file.
